UV Air Purifiers Myth Vs. Fact

By
Mitch Wright Plumbing, Heating & Air
|January 25, 2017

Do you really know how clean the air is that’s blowing around your house? Dusting and vacuuming is a good start, but that’s often not enough in the winter when your house is closed up for months. In 1903, Niels Finsen won the Nobel Prize in Medicine for his use of ultraviolet light in the treatment of tuberculosis. Since then, ultraviolet light has been used to sterilize hospital rooms, water and prevent the spread of germs in homes.

UV purifying systems are the newest craze in clean air technology, but there are lots of misconceptions out there about them. If you’re thinking of getting a UV air purifier, here’s what you need to know.

How They Work

Intense, ultraviolet germicidal light kills bacteria by damaging the DNA of a cell (specifically the thymine strand). Overtime, UV filters have been proven to reduce mold spores by 99% and kill up to 87% of airborne bacteria.

What to Know Before you Buy

Myth: HEPA air filters are able to kill bacteria and viruses.

Fact: HEPA air filters can trap live pathogens and limit them from spreading, but they can not actually kill them. Overtime, a clogged filter will pick up fewer and fewer bacteria.

Myth: UV air purifiers don’t actually work.

Fact: The CDC recommends UV light as a supplemental hospital infectious control method. For decades, certain hospitals have been mandated to have UV light at the entrance of infectious patient’s rooms.

Myth: UV air purifiers emit a harmful chemical that is dangerous for the ozone.

Fact: There are a few air purifiers that produce unsafe chemicals, but there are many more that use non-ozone producing UV-C that prevent dangerous emissions. Before you purchase a purifier, make sure to check the label.

Whether you need a filtration system or a new duct system, Mitch Wright Plumbing, Heating & Air has the Wright solution for you and your family. We’ll ask you and your family some questions to help create a custom indoor air quality plan, as well as answer any questions that you may have.